Danbury faithful rally for black history celebration

Published 10:17 pm, Thursday, February 11, 2010

DANBURY -- Corean Strong is a believer that all God's people, regardless of religious affiliation or ethnic background, worship and sing in one voice.

So the New Hope Baptist Church choir and drama ministry director is delighted that churches throughout the Danbury area are embracing a first-of-its kind celebration of Black History Month.

The program, scheduled for 5 p.m. Feb. 20 at New Hope, will highlight contributions of local African-Americans and celebrate the area's diversity through a mass community choir, praise dancers and dramatic skits.

Donations collected at the service will be used for relief efforts in Haiti as part of an ongoing, long-term commitment to the suffering island nation.

"We're just really excited about it,'' said Strong, who with her assistant, Diane Moxley, proposed the idea. "You should see the emotion when we do our (joint) choir rehearsals. We just hope to build a stronger community for all the ethnic groups and religious backgrounds.''

At one rehearsal, which included members of a local Brazilian and Haitian congregation, the visitors said they had never felt so embraced in a communal setting, Strong said.

"We're looking to become friends with people of other ethnic backgrounds,'' Strong said.

The Rev. Clive Calver, of Walnut Hill Community Church in Bethel, said his congregation has a long relationship with New Hope Church and looks forward to participating with them in yet another event meant to break down barriers.

He recalled that New Hope's pastor, the Rev. Ivan Pitts, and Calver's wife, Ruth, were on a team in 2006 that helped rebuild a church in New Orleans. When Pitts went to introduce Ruth to members of the African-American community, he introduced her as his "twin sister.''

"Theoretically, she is his twin sister,'' Calver said. "We are one body of Christ. And our twin is having a celebration, and we will celebrate with them any way we can.''

"In Christ, black and white is a non-issue,'' he said.

Calver and Strong said they believe all who participate in the program, regardless of race, creed or ethnicity, will be enriched.

"It's really, really good, and unique, that our churches here can stand together across that barrier,'' Calver said.